Breakdown
by Verenda
Summary: Sequel to Treachery or Something Like It After a life plagued with destruction and broken dreams, three people make their way to a small planet. But a surreal life only lasts so long. And evil never dies.
1. Chapter One

Breakdown  
  
By: Princess Ayeka and Cindi McElreath  
  
Rating: PG-13 for violence and language  
  
Summary: *Sequel to Treachery or Something Like It* Ten years have passed for three people who found a pleasant life on a familiar blue planet called Earth. But is this surreal life just the eye of the storm?  
  
Disclaimer: All parts of this story are based on characters by Akira Toriyama/Bird Studios, Toei Animation, and licensed by FUNimation. I am in no way involved in the creation of these characters.  
  
Chapter One:  
  
Death (deth) n. 1. The act or fact of dying; permanent ending of all life in a person, animal, or plant.  
  
*10 years later  
  
The news hit me hard and fast. But when I found out, it felt like a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't ever see it coming though.  
  
But maybe I should back up first.  
  
I, yes I, the Prince of Saiya-jins, left my home planet ten years ago so that I might be able to live with my wonderful wife whom I married only a week after we arrived here. Kakarot came as well, and, surprisingly enough, he found himself a mate as well. And a nickname.  
  
Goku, they call him. Even Bulma does it. But I believe his birth name is suitable enough, and still call him Kakarot.  
  
Anyway, about a year after our marriage, Bulma had a child. Trunks. I despise the name and the boy's purple hair. Neither is fit for the heir of the Saiya-jin empire. Bulma loves both.  
  
Kakarot and his mate, Harpy-woman (or Chichi as everyone else wishes to call her), also had a son, Goten, who has grown up with Trunks practically his whole life.  
  
But this has nothing to do with the topic.  
  
I actually did have plans to return to Vegeta-sei. I guess I never carried them our though. I won't either.  
  
Bulma, who still has contacts with the IIA, found out that Vegeta-sei was blown up. By Frieza.  
  
It doesn't make me even half as angry as it makes Bulma. I swear she still has those damn daggers. I just hope she doesn't do something crazy. Or stupid.  
  
xxxxx  
  
Vegeta stared across the gazebo table at his wife, hanging on to almost every word she said, yet also keeping an eye on the two boys that ran around the yard.  
  
"I honestly think that we should do something about this," Bulma said, seriously. "Don't you?"  
  
Vegeta didn't realize that the question had been directed at him until the other two members of the conversation looked at him as well. "Of course. But what could we do?" he asked.  
  
Bulma's face fell, as did Goku's, but Chichi's was filled with confusion. "I don't understand what's going on at all. I've never been to the planet, but from what you three talk about it, I wouldn't want it back anyway."  
  
"Dragonballs," was all Bulma said to earn three pairs of confused glances. She smiled, though, either not noticing or not caring, and stood up. "I'll be right back."  
  
xxxxx  
  
"Goten, you are way too slow!" Trunks said to the boy behind him.  
  
Goten the first born son of Chichi and Goku, raced behind the other boy. He'd been living in Trunks' shadow for as long as he could remember. And his parents knew it, too. "Alright, Trunks. You win," the boy said, stopping. If he had truly tried, he wouldn't have wanted to argue with the older boy.  
  
Trunks smiled in arrogance. "I knew you'd see things clearly, my friend." The older boy walked over to his life-long friend and then stared at him with a questioning gaze. "Goten?" He followed the other boy's gaze to the gazebo to where their parents were talking.  
  
"What do you think they're talking about, Trunks?" Goten asked, spacey in all aspects. It was a rhetorical question that he didn't expect an answer from, mostly because he didn't expect himself to ask it. But asked he did. And an answer he got.  
  
"What was in the paper this morning. All over the front page. I have no idea what it is, but it pissed off my mom pretty bad; and my dad too I guess," the older boy said. He watched his mother walk off from the gazebo with concern.  
  
"Well, whatever it is, I hope it has nothing to do with us," Goten said. The two boys then continued their running around the yard.  
  
xxxxx  
  
Bulma returned only minutes later, with a pleased look on her face. She sat down at the table and showed her hand wrapped around something orange. She set the round ball-shaped object on the wooden table, and everyone stared in awe. "Dragonball," she said.  
  
Vegeta stared at the red stars in the orange ball curiously. "So?" If he had to be shown this odd object, he expected an explanation.  
  
Bulma smiled. "Well, when I was younger, before my father decided to leave for space, I began searching through my fathers things. I pulled out this, a dragonball, and asked my father for the same explanation you are all wanting. Well, he didn't give me much, so I started researching.  
  
"I found that there are seven of these balls, scattered about the planet, each with a different number of stars. When all brought together, they will grant a wish. Unfortunately, I never did get to look for all seven. But lately, I've been working on this," she said, pulling out some sort of radar. "It's called a 'Dragon Radar' and is solely for the purpose of finding these."  
  
Everyone at the table appeared deep in thought as she explained this tale. But when she finished, no one else spoke. They just stared at the mystifying object lying on the table.  
  
"Bulma, I might know where there's another one of these." Chichi said finally.  
  
Everyone else looked up, waiting for her to continue.  
  
"My father has one very similar to that one. More stars though. And the nice man whom Goku and I bought our house from left one in there. That makes two more."  
  
Bulma's eyes lit up. But she became crestfallen once more when Vegeta spoke.  
  
"What will we wish for?"  
  
Realizing that she had no idea, she frowned at the table. "I have no idea."  
  
**And thus concludes the first chapter. Yea! I finished it and now you all get to enjoy it! Unfortunately, this was up for a few days. But thanks to ff.net's new policy, I am no longer allowed to post my TITLE PAGES for which I have become known for. Now for anything that I post, the title page will be at the top of the first chapter and include everything that they did before. Enjoy!  
  
Thank you guys so much for reviewing "Treachery"! Now you get to review this!** 


	2. Chapter two

Breakdown  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
Surreal: (ser reel) adj. 1. of, related to, or characteristic of surrealism.  
  
"Congratulations," Vegeta said sarcastically. "So there's a will, a way, yet we know absolutely nothing about what we're going to do?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Bingo."  
  
Vegeta shook his head after each answer was given. So much for brilliance. But a response from 'Goku' surprised Vegeta.  
  
"Why don't we wish Vegeta-sei and all its inhabitants back to the realm of the living?" Goku asked.  
  
Everyone at the table looked toward Bulma, whose face fell on the impact of six eyes.  
  
"We only get one wish. We either wish back everyone from Vegeta-sei, in which, they would all suffocate in space, or, we wish back a barren planet," she said pessimistically. So much for thinking about using the dragonballs.  
  
"Isn't there any other wish that might help us?"  
  
"Well, Goku, if you come up with one, I'll consider it." Bulma said. Nothing seemed to be working out. The whole crew was stumped. The table then slipped into a reflection kind of silence.  
  
Suddenly, a loud beeping surprised everyone at the table, including the man who was responsible.  
  
Goku revealed from his pocket a scouter, and placed in on his ear to uncover what was causing the thing to go off so suddenly.  
  
"You still have that thing?" Vegeta asked.  
  
Before Goku could open his mouth, Bulma smirked. "What are you talking about, Vegeta? Yours is sitting in my lab. As a matter of fact . . ." she paused and looked at the two boys in the yard. "Hey Trunks, go get your father's scouter!"  
  
The young boy nodded and quickly ran in the building while Bulma leaned back in her chair. "Yours is probably reacting to the same thing Goku's is. By the way, what is it, Goku?"  
  
Goku stared at the contraption in disbelief. "It claims there is a huge power level coming from the north, near the mountains. But I know for certain that there is no one on this planet with that kind of power."  
  
"Then perhaps it's not from this planet." Vegeta said, offering his opinion. Goku continued to stare at the scouter long after Vegeta said his sentiment.  
  
"Here, mom," said a small voice from beside the table. Trunks handed the object over to his mother and watched as she too found the large ki signature. He had no idea what was going on.  
  
"We should go check it out," Goku said directing his quote toward Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta stared at the glass of the wicker table top, scowling. He knew that Goku was right. The two of them would have to go check it out because Earth had become their new home, and thus, they needed to help protect it. "Alright then. Kakarot, let's go," he said as he stood up. He glanced back to Bulma and the scouter in her hands. "We'll communicate to you via the scouter."  
  
Bulma nodded her head and watched the two men fly off. 'Please be careful.'  
  
**Yep, that was a short chapter. It was mostly just a filler and I had no idea what to do with it. You see, this story, unlike any that I've done in the past, is one that I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with it. So, I have no idea how long it may take me to get chapters up. But I have made an outline!  
  
Also, I'm sure that someone out there is wondering about the lack of Gohan. Well folks, I wanted to keep the children's ages somewhat close to each other as in the manga. And, unfortunately, Gohan just doesn't fit. Either Goku or Chichi (and perhaps Goten) will explain what happened to an 'unborn' child. I'm supposing that my alter ego wanted this child to be Gohan.  
  
Thank you for any other reviews that I may have gotten before ff.net decided to take this story off the first time. I expect someone to review this time as well.** 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:  
  
Hope: n. 1. a feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by expectation.  
  
Trunks stared at the seemingly cloudless sky. His father was going somewhere, after Goten's father. And the boy was not very secure about it. He had entirely missed the conversation between the adults only a few seconds earlier. Trunks was positive that they did not want Goten and himself to hear anyway. Besides, Goten had found a lizard, and had forced Trunks' attention to the green reptile.  
  
The boy hated not to know what was going on, so he pulled Goten along with him up to the gazebo. The child's blue eyes stared intently at his mother's own eyes, demanding for an answer to a question that had not been answered yet.  
  
"Where did our dad's go?" Trunks asked with a monotone voice. All the emotion he needed showed through his icy eyes that stipulated his request for an answer.  
  
Bulma was surprised at her son. Never had he looked so . . . much like his father. Incessant. Persistent. And then she sighed. "I figured you would want to know," she said quietly. She waited for a few seconds before finishing her response. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you."  
  
That statement even made the other woman look up in curiosity. Chichi stared at Bulma, who wringed her hands beneath the table. "What do you mean?" she asked the other woman.  
  
"I have no idea what Goku and Vegeta are getting into. I'm worried. I'm worried that whatever is out there might inhibit them to come back."  
  
Trunks listened to his mother's words intently. The nine-year-old boy had never seen his mother this way before. He had always pictured her as carefree, happy even. This was a side of her that had not ever shown before, in public anyway.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"We're 20 meters away from the site," Goku said to the other man flying beside him. "We should probably walk from here." He stopped in the air and, with a nod, so did Vegeta. The two men then dropped to the ground.  
  
The land was practically barren with large boulders dotting the surface. Patches of green could be spotted, but each was sparse and far from another. From where the two Saiya-jins stood, a tiny spot could be seen in the distance. They both could already tell that it was a space pod.  
  
"It's one of Frieza's," Vegeta said immediately after noticing a small symbol on the pod's surface. "And whoever it is is looking for us."  
  
Goku then did something that only Vegeta might have done. He smirked. "Don't you think we should go welcome them then?" he asked. He was, after all, Saiya-jin as well.  
  
Vegeta smirked too and nodded to the other man. "Of course."  
  
And the two flew to the site not caring anymore whether whomever had come had to see them or not. When they landed, they were both surprised at who had come to Earth, and who was now standing in front of them, smiling.  
  
"Well, I see I don't have to find you," Zarbon said with malice.  
  
"Why do you want us?" Goku asked.  
  
"You two are practically the only Saiya-jins left in the universe; if you did not know. Frieza was very unhappy that you two did not get caught in the blast. So, I was sent to find you."  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes, a trait that he had caught from Bulma. "So, are you here to kill us? Or just say, 'Tag, you're it'?"  
  
Zarbon tried to keep down a growl. "Neither as a matter of fact. Frieza wants to kill you personally."  
  
"Well, I'm not going without a fight." Goku said simply.  
  
Zarbon got into a fighting stance. "Then I guess I will have to subdue you." He flew toward Goku at top-notch speeds, his fist poised for a punch.  
  
Goku though, merely caught his hand and punched the other man himself. He could not help but feel cocky. Vegeta just watched the fight, crossing his arms over his chest and grinning as he saw Goku dominate the fight.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
High in the sky, above a tower containing a cat named Korin, there was a small area where three people stood. A tall green man with a white cape, an old green man with a tall staff, and a short man who watered the flowers.  
  
The old one could easily see the fight below. "Be prepared, Piccolo," he said to the other green man, "they may need your help."  
  
Piccolo snorted. "Why should I help them?"  
  
"Because they know of the Dragonballs." the short man named Popo chimed in.  
  
Piccolo just crossed his arms over his chest and continued to meditate. He really didn't want to help the two Saiya-jins.  
  
**Thank you, thank you!! ::bows:: Now. I have entertained you (hopefully) now it's your turn to give me some feedback!! I have yet to get a review for ANYTHING!! Someone give me a response! ::whines::** 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four:  
  
Zrabon crashed into a large cliff which soon became a pile of rubble. The green-haired being abhorred losing, and it showed when he regained his composure and wiped the blood from his bottom lip.  
  
Goku simply crossed his arms and smirked, his Saiya-jin instincts taking over. "Are you finished trying to beat me yet?" he asked the other being.  
  
Zarbon merely mirrored the expression on his opponent's face. "You would think that, wouldn't you?" he responded. Suddenly, he began powering up and . . . Transforming.  
  
Goku looked almost scared as he felt Zarbon's power level peak. It increased nearly ten fold as his appearance decreased almost as much. This battle was about to become much more difficult.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The women could hear the battle happening. Trunks and Goten could as well. No one sitting around the table could stand it. Bulma continued to wring her hands under the table. Chichi just stared at the table and the scouter on it. Both Trunks and Goten also stared at the scouter, hearing Goku's voice, though distant, sounding cocky and arrogant.  
  
But something changed. The screams of pain subsided, not coming for the being Bulma had recognized as Zarbon. The fight was not over however. No, now the screams were coming from Goku; everyone could tell that the fight had suddenly switched hands.  
  
Bulma stood up suddenly and was given questioning looks from all around. She then ignored their inquisitive glances and began walking toward the house.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Vegeta watched the fight continue, knowing that Goku was losing, and there was nothing he could do about it. His fist was clenched at his side and the other was tightly grasping the green-lensed scouter which he nearly forgot was in his hand. And on. He immediately knew that Bulma and his son were listening to the battle happening right before his eyes.  
  
Vegeta had half a mind to stop the battle and hand himself over, but a tall dark shadow stopped him. He looked to his left to find a tall green man standing near him, also watching the fight.  
  
"Who are you?" Vegeta asked, keeping his eyes on Goku, who then flew into a large boulder.  
  
"My name is Piccolo," the being answered. "I've come here to help you."  
  
Vegeta then crossed his arms and turned to Piccolo, losing interest in the fight. "How can I trust you?" he asked.  
  
Piccolo also turned and seemed to lose interest in the fight. "You do know of the dragonballs, correct?" he asked Vegeta.  
  
"Yes. And how they will probably not help me."  
  
"I understand. I live above a giant tower with Kami, the one who watches over this planet. We understand your predicament and how these Earth dragonballs will not help."  
  
Vegeta rose a suspicious eyebrow. "So?"  
  
"There is another set of dragonballs, more powerful that Earth's. They are the Namekian dragonballs, found on Namek. Rather than one wish, they grant three."  
  
At this information, the green being had caught his full attention. And he knew that certainly the women had heard it over the scouter. But then so must have . . .  
  
Zarbon stopped in mid-air as he heard the information pouring through the scouter. The being knew that Frieza would be pleased with this bit of information, and he had decided to stop the fight himself.  
  
"Well Kakarot," Zarbon said to the body lying on the ground. "It appears that I've won this fight. And in such," he said, landing next to the body, "I have decided to spare you from death."  
  
Vegeta stared in horror as he watched Zarbon end the fight and prepare to leave the Earth. He knew that Zarbon must have heard his conversation with Piccolo. Frieza would love to hear of mystical orbs that granted any and all of your wildest dreams. And all Vegeta could do was stand and watch as Zarbon left for his ship.  
  
Piccolo, who had no idea what had taken place, went to Goku's aid.  
  
Goku laid on the ground (or rather, in it), half conscious and covered with cuts and bruises. He also knew that Zarbon was getting away, yet he could do nothing. He was utterly immobile and could not feel his legs. A large shadow soon covered him and he saw something like a green blur until he was knocked out completely.  
  
Vegeta also made his way to Goku's badly beaten body. Piccolo lifted the unconscious body and slung him over his shoulder.  
  
"I will take him back to Kami's lookout. You should come as well," he said to Vegeta. "Follow me." And he shot off into the air, soon followed by the Saiya-jin prince.  
  
**It's short, I know. But, I wrote this chapter v. quickly and at school in first period. So, here it is. And there it was. Please please please please give me a review!!** 


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